1/3 cup salad oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar or vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
2 teaspoons snipped fresh thyme, oregano, or basil, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, oregano, or basil, crushed
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard or 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard (optional)
In a screw-top jar combine oil, vinegar, sugar (if desired), herb, paprika, mustard (if desired), and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cover; shake well. Serve immediately or cover and store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Shake before serving. Makes about 3/4 cup.
*Italian Vinaigrette: Prepare as above, except use oregano for the herb and use the mustard. Add 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon celery seed, and 1 clove garlic, minced.
*Red Wine Vinaigrette: Prepare as above, except reduce vinegar to 3 tablespoons. Use half thyme and half oregano for the herb. Add two tablespoons dry red wine and 1 clove garlic, minced.
*Garlic Vinaigrette: Prepare as above, except omit the herb and paprika. Add 2 large cloves garlic, minced.
Making your own salad dressing is a real money saver. When I was younger, I used to love Bernstein's Italian Salad Dressing. Now I make this recipe. It feels good to reuse the salad dressing carafe that I bought at The Salvation Army. Packaging is where most of our money goes for items that we buy at the store. It only takes about five minutes to make your own salad dressings and marinades.
Making the salad dressing is also a good chore for children. This was one of my jobs in our home as a little girl and teenager. I loved helping my mom in the kitchen. She used red wine vinegar and salad oil in her version. In those days, we opened a packet of Good Seasons Italian dressing herbs, and poured them into the bottle. Now I use my own that I have grown and dried. What about you?
